Desoldering 32pin surface-mounted PLCCs

Thread Starter

jww

Joined Sep 25, 2009
3
Hey guys, first post, so hello! I'm quite new to this, please excuse any abuse of terminology.

I have a PCB with four 32 pin surface-mounted PLCC EEPROMs. I would quite like to dump the data off these, firstly I need to get them off the board. I've had a hunt on google and the only option seems to be using expensive hot air desolderers.

Is it possible to remove the chips using another _cost-effective_ method, without damage or data corruption. Or even better still, read the data without requiring a desoldering operation?

Thanks in advance :D
 

SgtWookie

Joined Jul 17, 2007
22,230
Hot air desoldering is the best method. Even then, you may still lose the data - or it may already be gone if the board was subjected to unusual electromechanical stress.
 

Tobias

Joined May 19, 2008
158
If the components are on just one side use an electric hot plate. Slowly heat up the board and you will be able to remove it easily.
 

Thread Starter

jww

Joined Sep 25, 2009
3
Ah, thank you very much guys!

I had a look at a few of the videos on youtube and was contemplating hot tweezers, however I couldn't find any four-sided attachments.

I looked at the hot-plate option as well, someone was using an iron which worked a treat, however I noticed a lot of components were coming loose from the heat.

I eventually decided to go with the hot air gun and pay that bit extra. I got the Aoyue 852A+ and am waiting for the Aoyue 1141 - Air Nozzle PLCC Type - 11.5mm x 14mm - 32 Pin to be restocked.

Thanks again! :D
 

BMorse

Joined Sep 26, 2009
2,675
could have saved some money and just used a heat gun for shrink wrap, this would work just as well if you direct the heat under the IC you are trying to remove. Yes some other components might loosen up but as long as you don't tap the PCB or drop it those parts should stay where they are and you can pull the parts off that you want with a pair of tweezers.;)
 

GetDeviceInfo

Joined Jun 7, 2009
2,192
I use a hot air gun commonly used for paint stripping/shrink tube. I wouldn't recommend a hot plate due to collateral damage. Most devices are glued to the board prior to reflow, and the solder tension also keeps everything else in place. Use high heat and a needle to push/pick the device while your heating until it yields. Try not to inhale any fumes coming off the board.

As far as data collection, it could be easier to collect it prior to removal.
 

Thread Starter

jww

Joined Sep 25, 2009
3
Ah thanks for all the great feedback guys. I did have a look at the hot air guns for paint stripping, they seemed a bit brutal.

I'm just going to put this out there. If I was to simply just connect the eeprom chip to the reader, without desoldering; will I be able to read the data off the chip? I have this preconception that this won't work or may damage the rest of the board :confused:
 
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